[62] On the organization and career of the North West Company see J. Long’s Voyages in our volume ii, preface, pp. 15, 16. The difficulties with the Hudson’s Bay Company are briefly recounted by Franchère in our volume vi, pp. 379-381, particularly notes 195, 199.—Ed.
[63] This lease was the result of a protest from Great Britain to the government of Russia for the attack by the latter upon a British brig entering the Stikeen River to found a fort. The Hudson’s Bay Company waived its claim for damages in virtue of this lease of the mainland of Russian America between Cape Spencer and 54° 40′ north latitude. After being several times renewed, the lease expired in 1868 upon the purchase of Alaska by the United States.—Ed.
[64] See our volume vi, p. 377, note 191, for a description of York Factory.—Ed.
[65] For further details of the system of the Hudson’s Bay Company see A. G. Morice, History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, formerly New Caledonia (Toronto, 1904), pp. 99-116; also George Bryce, Remarkable History of Hudson’s Bay Company (Toronto, 1900).—Ed.
[66] Henry Bliss, The Colonial System: Statistics of the trade, industry and resources of Canada and other Plantations in British America (London, 1833, not 1831).—Ed.
[67] Andrew Henry, one of the partners of the Missouri Fur Company, in the autumn of 1818 built a post on the north fork of Lewis or Snake (Saptin) River. This was maintained only until the following spring, but is renowned for being the first American trading post on Columbian waters. The site was supposedly near Egin, Idaho, and the stream has since been known as Henry’s Fork.—Ed.
[68] The North West Company decided (1805) to explore the region west of the Rockies and commissioned Simon Fraser to undertake it. In 1805 he built Fort McLeod, the first post in British Columbia. The next summer saw the establishment of two posts—St. James on Stuart Lake, and Fraser on Lake Fraser. Fort Fraser was begun by John Stuart and has been maintained until the present time.—Ed.
[69] For the Astorian enterprise see our volumes v-vii.—Ed.
[70] David Thompson, for whose arrival at Astoria see Franchère’s Narrative in our volume vi, pp. 252-255.—Ed.
[71] See Ross’s Oregon Settlers in our volume vii, pp. 244-249.—Ed.